Sweep tooth



i Sept. 17, IZQ. G. E. l-{QRNEW` SWEEP TOOTH Filed July 8, 1927INVENL-JYR- Patented Sept. 17, 1929 UNITED STATES GEORGE E.4l:.'{0R1\l'lBY, OF VALENTINE, yNEBRASKA.

SWEEP 'roo'riry Application ledluly 8, 1927. Serial No. 204,158.

The present invention relates to sweep teeth suchy as are used in gangmowers, hay sweeps, hay stackers and the like..

The objects of the inventionr are to pro vide a sweep ytooth whichwillbe practical and eflicient under all usual operating conditions andparticularly to provide a struc-` ture which will be self-clearing andwhich will automatically free and lift the matted 1c or tangled straws.v

The foregoing and other desirable objects are attained by certain novelfeatures y.of construction7 combination and relation of parts as hereindisclosed.

In the drawing accompanying and -forming part of this specification7 onepractical embodiment of the invention is illustrated, but it should beunderstood that the structure may vary from this particular illustration520 without departure from the true spirit and broad scope of theinvention as hereinafter described and claimed.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a sweep Ltooth point embodying theinvention with the body of the tooth indicated as broken away.

Figure 2 is a broken side view showing the invention in use with theelevating sweep of a gang mower.

Figure 3 is a front end view of the point of the tooth.

Figures 4 and 5 are plan and side views respectively, the latterindicating a modification in which the blade of the tooth point is madeas an insert secured in the body of the point.

As usually constructed, a sweep tooth consists of a wooden shank armedwith a blunted metallic point or shoe. This point forces its way throughthe underlying straw and undergrowth but has a tendency to dig in andbreak off upon encountering an obstruction.

In the present invention this tendency is overcome and the tooth is madeto separate the straws and over-ride obstructions by a special form ofpoint construction.

This new point has a forwardly extending, substantially central,relatively thin upright blade 7 with sled-like inclines 8 at the sidesof the same rising from the bottom of the point upto flaringfshoulders 9which ineline rearwardly away from theupperpor-y tion of the blade. Theblade is brought to a point at 10 a slight distance aboveitslowerrounded "edge 11 and slopes backward from this point on a gradual upwardincline into ay hump 12 above the flaring sideshoulders 9, The upperfaces of these shoulders areshown rounded off at 13 so that strawsraisedby the edge of the blade will easily slide ,upwardly over theshoulderswithout dragging.,l y

yThe bottomy vof the tooth point is rounded oifwitliabilge curve at 14.This enables ythe tooth to ride smoothly and shift laterally with theturning movements of the rake.v The rounded forward loweredge ofthebladeat 11 and the upward clearancey 15 in the lower edge of the bladeto the rearofthe point 11 prevent thel blade from resisting sidewisemovement in turning corners and the like.

The upper lifting edge 16 of the blade is shown asvsharp enough toeffect separation and on the other hand of a bluntness such as t0prevent unnecessary cutting or tearing of the straws in the separatingand lifting operations. s y f This point structure is shown made as aseparate lshoe socketed at the'rearat 17; toy lit overthe shank 18 ofthe tooth to which it is shown secured by a transverse rivetl19. Thepoint may be'produced in various ways -such asby casting or machining'ror shaping in sheet metal and may be either a single piece or amultiple-part structure. As regards the latter, Figure 5 shows how theforwardlyprojecting blade may be formed as a separate member 7n,seated'in a slot 20'in the body of the point and secured by transverserivets 21. This construction permits of the blade beingy made of a highgrade steel, for instance, and the body of the point of a less expensivemetal. A

The location of the tipy 10 of the blade above the bottom line reducesany tendency to kdig into obstructions, Lbutthis point yas shown is nearenough the bottom to permit it to pass under all lloose or matted strawsand tocarry them up over the crest 12which latter elevates the limber,more fragile or damp straws sufficiently toprevent themcatching on the,

cut its way through and out of obstructionsl such as offered bybunches'of grass and the' like. The rounded upper. faces 13 of the sideshoulders cooperate.' with the. upwardly inclined' blade and the crest12` in 'lifting' the straws clear of the'shoulders.; AThe rearward end'of the' point Abodylis rounded and curved away asfindicated at 222 toprevent' straws from catching,^fr instance, when backing awayv fromk a:load or stack and for the same ieasomtlie upper terminus yo'f the Vbladetothe rear' of the crest lQis given aA relatively long gentle slope'.

While the entire point' structure is shown formed as' a completelyseparate: part, it will beapparent. that the'same might be formedwhollyy or partially as aj part ofthe tooth structure and itv will beseen thatv other changes' mightfbernade'in the structure', all

j within tlie'broad'scopeiof'the claims following.V an' example, theinsert indicated at TainFigurei 5' mightsirnply be a thin metal ,stripysuch as shown atb in Figuresl, 3`and 4; Set-'in the edge'of-t'hemainblade 'Tand extendingfrom" below the point lOup and over thecrest` 12,saidstrip being secured by suitably embeddiiigfitinltlie metal of theblade and: serving tov` holdk a relatively'sharp edge resisting theblunting wear caused by use over sandy or" grittysoil. Y

n The downward inclination of, the" blade may vary in' dierent sweepsbut itis preferably on the order of that disclosed and such tojholdthetip or point attlie mean ground surface so that itV cannot' escapegetting under the straws: The wooden shank of the tooth is preferablyextendedlup as far as .possible'into the point of: the `tooth'so as toreinforce the latter and enable the'same to bemadeas a while' preferablyonthe' order of those illustrated, may' belvariedto suit different condiprojecting` substantiallyl vertically disposed thin bladewitlitransver'sely rounded upper and` lower edges, said rounded upper'edge sloping downwardly and forv'vardlyA and the rounded; lower edgesloping upwardly and forwardly, said two edges meeting ina point'lpoint, upwardly and forwardly inclined runners extending from the bottomof the sweep tooth point at opposite sides of the blade and terminatingat the top in shoulders converging laterally to the blade and havingdownwardly sloping upper surfaces approximating the downward slope ofthe upper Yedge of the blade;

2. A sweep tooth point comprising a vertically slotted body havingforwardly and upwardly inclined runners at opposite sides of the slotand terminating at the top in shoulders laterally convergent upon theslot, said shoulders havig'fdownwardly and forwardly sloping surfaceskand a blade secured in said slot having a rounded upper edge arranged ona downward andy forward incline approximating that of. the downward andforward slope of said shoulders.` A sweep tooth point comprising asubstantially vertical blade having ak rearwardly and upwardly sloping'transversely rounded upper edge and a transversely rounded lower edge,said upper'and lower edges meeting in a point near the bottom'linerofthe sweep tooth point and" said'. lower edge being concaved upwardlyinprear of said point and forwardly and upwardly inclined runners atopposite sides of theblade terminating at the top' in downwardly andforwardly sloping shouldersangled to approximately the slope ofthe upperedge ofthe blade.

In testimony whereofI hereunto affix my signature. y f

` GEORGEE. HORNBY.

closetothe'fbottorrt line of thelsweep tooth l

